Latch



March 7, 1950 A. H. KURILOFF 2,499,828

LATCH Filed May 14, 1946 INVENTOR. A'e n/ue M Keg/L OFF Patented Mar. 7, 1950 UNITED S TATES PATEN T O FF ICE LATCH .Arthur. H..Kuriloir, Los.'Angeles, Calif. Application May I4, 1946, Se1ial1No. 661L690 '3 .Claims. :1 My invention rrel'ates ate .a zpressure vessel and has particular reference to :an .:improved :construction :of that class -:of pressure vessels :known .as pressure cookers.

Pressure :cookers intended for .home use must he "so constructed "as .130 eprovid'e :a maximum of safety, be simple to operate and use, and sedesigned :as torminim'ize the likelihood of the apparatus getting out of :order :and requiring irepairs.

.Pressure vessels commonly used prior to my invention ioftentimes ffailed tosupply the above noted desiderata in that 'withrmany typesof pres- .sure cookers a complic-atedisystem of screws and clamps were employed "to .hold the cover :in place. The :cover latch for'a ipressure cookerkshould be double -.lat.ched-;or il'atch'ed-andrlocked so a s to positively prevent inadvertent unlatching of .the cover :and require :two unlike conscious operations'in 'order tosrelease the cover. Furthermore, the mechanism should be simple and should be .so constructed that the operations of closing the vessel'andopeningthe same willbe natural movements which are simple to execute.

Pressure cookers are ordinarily equipped with a pressure :relief valve .which operates to maintain a constant operating pressure within the vessel during use. :A blow-out .plug is usually provided which will .melt outor "blow-=rout in the event the pressure relief valve fails to operate satisfactorily-and dangerously. high :pressures are developedwithinthevessel. In'conventionalconstructions these blow-out plugs .are iormed'of a soft metal such as Wood's imetal or solder so that the plug @is :destroyed whenever it .is blown out. This requires the cooker to be returned .to the 'factory or a service "station .for .repair whenever the safety device operates.

.It is, therefore, annbject of my .invention to :-provide a pressure vessel which overcomes .the above .noted disadvantages by incorporating a new quick acting closure latch which .is double- Zlocked torequire two unlike conscious operations before'theclosure is released.

:It is also :ancob'ject of my invention .toa provide a "pressurevessel :of the :characterisetlforth in the preceding paragraph in which the second or-safety lock engages .automaticallyiupon operation of the main closure latchzbut which 'requires-a-sepa- 'rate'manual operation.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide "a pressure vessel of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which ineludes-a spring=pressed ilo'ck member'for engaging and holding the main closure latch in its closed position.

It is a still further object of .my invention to provide a pressure vessel of the "character :set forth hereinbefore which includes a novel compression seal between the closure and the "body rdf-fthe'vessel.

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.It'is-alsozanobject ofmy invention toprovidera. v

pressure vesselof the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which includes a pressure relief valvexmounted: in'the vessel inya highly-elastic mounting ring so that under excessive pressure conditions, the force exerted on said-resilient mounting ring will temporarilydeform the .same suificiently to allow the relief valve to be blown out of the ring but is retained on the vessel.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from astudy of the follow- .ing specifications, read in connection with :the accompanying drawings, wherein:

.Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the ,preferred embodiment of my invention with parts broken awayand other partsshoWn in section to illustrate the details of construction; and

Fig. .2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the details of construction of the closure latch and lock mechanism and illustrating by means of dotted lines the mode of operationof thelatch.

Referring to the drawings, I haveillustrated in Fig. .1 the preferred embodiment of myinvention ascomprising a pressure cooker of the-character iordinarilyintended .for home use. Such apressure cooker may comprisea body I of pot or kettie-like form, to the upper edge of whichis securedor iormedintegrally with the bodya'pair of outwardlyextending handles 2 and 3. The .open top of the body i is adapted to be closedby a'dome-li-ke closure 4 whichmay be formed with arecess. as shown at 5 for the mounting of a pressure-gauge 6.

--At diametrically opposed positions on the closure 4, :I form outwardly extending flanges .or pairs-:of ears 7, each of theears of a pair being spaced apart to receive therebetween .a latch :member .8. The latch member 8 is pivotally imounted between the 'ears lasby means ofza pi-v- :ot shaft mutually inter-engaging the ears land the'latchi member 8.

The latch member ii has .formed therein aslot 1.0. "The slot 1 0 is adapted toreceive inthe closed position of the latch member i3 a .latch pin -H -whichris secured to the :body l as by meansofia *pairrofcoutwardly extending ears l2 :formed integrally with the body 4. The latch membert by reason of the hinge pin 9, mounted for movement .from'a latched position suchasthat illus trated iniFig. 1 to a released position-such as that .aillustrated by dotted lines in.-.F!ig. 2,.in"-which..latter position the closure is disengaged from the ibocly and'is free to be liftedfrom the :body I, the latch members -8 being preferably formed as s'hown =in Fig.:1.in'the shape of handles to facili- :tate the operation of removing the closure.

"In a the latched position of thelatch .members .8 .the slot 1.0 :receives the pin ii. In order that .movement of the .latch member -13 1 to .zthe latched freeing the latch member 8 position may tightly clamp the closure to the body of the vessel, the lower surface of the slot [8 is inclined as indicated at l2a. The innermost portion of the slot is oppositely inclined to form a depression |2b for receiving the pin II when the latch member 8 is moved to the fully latched position. With this construction the engagement of the sloping surface l2a with the latch pin H moves the closure downwardly as the latch member 8 is moved toward the latched position. In the latched position, the latch pin II is received within the depression 2b, with the result that upwardly directed forces applied to the closure and transmitted to the latch pin H do not produce any couple tending to rotate the latch member 8 away from the latched position.

This reverse sloping of surface 12b also provides an additional safety factor in that should the attempt be made to unlatch the closure while there is steam pressure above atmospheric within the vessel, a large and unusual amount of force would be required to swing latch 8 about its pivotal point pin 9 against the interference provided by the raised portion of material at the intersection of surfaces l2a and l2b.

However, in order that any possibility of an inadvertent unlatching of the closure be entirely avoided, I provide a spring-pressed lock member l3 which may be received within a bore 14 formed in the handle member 2. The member I3 preferably includes a large diameter guiding portion l5 from which rises a locking portion I6 of smaller diameter. The portion I6 is passed through a smaller diameter portion l1 of the bore l4 so that engagement of the respective shoulders limits the extent of the upward movement of the lock member I3 to the position which is illustrated in Fig. 1. A spring l8 placed within the bore l4 below the lock member l3 and held in place by a plug is driven into the lower end of the bore 14 serves to normally urge the lock member I3 to the locked position which is shown in Fig. 1.

The lock member I3 is positioned to dispose the locking portion I6 thereof within a notch formed on the underside of the latch member 8 when the latch member is in the latched position. The notch 28 is characterized by a vertical face 2| which is disposed substantially parallel to the peripheral surface of the portion l6 so that in the latched and locked position shown in Fig. 1 pivotal movem nt of the latch member 8 is positively prevented.

The lock member 13 is adapted to be released by a lock operator 22 which is made in the form of a plunger slidably mounted within a bore 23 provided in the latch member 8, the lock operator 22 being so positioned as to align a lock member engaging pin portion 24 thereof with the lock member [3 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l. A compression spring 25 placed beneath the plunger 22 serves to normally urge the same upwardly to the position which is shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that with the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 1 a depression of the look operator 22 will depress the lock member [3 to such position as that shown in single lines in Fig. 2, disposing the portion l6 below the notch 2| and for pivotal movement toward a released position. When the closure is installed, the converse sequence of operations occurs. Interference between the latch member and the lock member during the closing operation is prevented-by providing an the latch'member 8 a curved or inclined surface 26 adjacent the notch face 2| and arranged to engage the upper surface of the lock member 13 and depress the same as the latch member 8 is rotated from the released to the latched positions thereof.

It will be seen that the operation of installing the closure on the vessel is one which requires only normal and natural movements, the closure being carried by the latch members 8 which function as handles for this purpose. The closure is placed in its proper position on the body of the vessel and the latch members 8 then forced downwardly to cause the latch pins H to be received within the slots l0 and to cause the lock members l3 to engage the notches 20. Removal of the closure is'accomplished by placing the fingers under the lacth members 8 and depressing the lock operator 22 with the thumb. This frees the latch members for pivotal rotation to their released positions, whereupon they thereby act as handles to remove the closure from the vessel. 1

In the construction illustrated in the drawings I have shown a sealing member 2! for establishing a steam-tight seal between the closure and the body of the vessel I. The sealing member 21 is preferably formed of rubber or like incompressible or like elastic material and is made in the form of a ring in a relatively thin, wide ribbon of the selected material. The ribbon is disposed with its width extending axially of the ring and is received within a slot 28 formed in the closure 4, the slot 28 having a width substantially equal to the thickness of the ribbon material and having a depth only slightly less than the width of the ribbon material so that only a small portion, such as is shown at 29, extends below the surface of the closure 4. This portion may bear against a flat upper surface of the vessel I or, as in the preferred embodiment of my invention, preferably received within a shallow groove formed on the upper surface of the vessel. I have found that with this construction the sealing member 21 is always permanently associated with the closure l and that difficulties resulting from the undesired separation of the sealing ring from the closure are completely avoided. At the same time an excellent seal adequate for holding the normal operating pressure is achieved.

The pressure vessel of my invention preferably includes a novel reief valve and b ow-o t plug construction which is illustrated in Fig. 1. As is shown therein I provide a relief valve which is indicated generally by the reference character 30 and which comprises a cylindrical body member within which is mounted a pressure relief valve mechanism of any suitable construction, there being illustrated in Fig. l a spring-pressed ball type such as is commonly used in relief valves.

This valve is ordinarily urged to open at the normal operating pressure of the vessel, usually in the ne ghborhood of fifteen pounds per square inch. The'valve body 30 is characterized by an annular groove 3| which receives a similar annular ring 32 formed. around the interior of an opening 33 provided in a relief valve carrier indicated generally at 34. The relief valve carrier 34 is preferably formed as a grommet of rubber or like highly elastic material and is mounted grommet fashion in an aperture 35 provided in the closure 4.

[have foundthat with this construction the stiffness of the rubber and the depth. ofv the groove 3i may be adjusted in such wise as to retain the relief valve body 30 under the normal operating pressure of about fifteen pounds per square inch but that when pressures exceeding about twenty-five pounds per square inch are reached, the valve body 30 will be urged from the opening 33 in the grommet 34.

To prevent the relief valve body from being forcibly ejected from the opening in the grommet St, I preferably form the lower portion of the body 39 as a stem 35 having a diameter less than the diameter of the grommet hole 33 and carrying on its innermost end a head member 37 which has a diameter somewhat exceeding the diameter of the hole 33. By-pass ports 38 are formed in the head member 3'! to prevent the head member 37 from sealing oil" the opening through the grommet 3 3 when the valve body 30 is moved to an upper position such as that illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that with this construction the relief valve body may be readily replaced within the grommet once the internal pressure is relieved and that it is not necessary to solder or sweat in a blow-out plug as is required by conventional constructions. Furthermore, the'grommet mounting for the valve body 30 permits the ready changing of relief valves in the event the valve in use requires repair or maintenance.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a novel pressure vessel construction which is characterized particularly by the novel relief valve and bl ow-out plug construction, the new closure seal, and the new mechanism for latching and locking the closure in place on the body of the pressure vessel.

Attention is directed particularly to the latch and lock arrangement which permits the cover to be installed with a single, simple, natural operation but which requires two unlike conscious operations to release the closure from the vessel.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a pressure vessel including a body and a separate closure member, a closure lock comprism a latch member; pivot means hingedly securing said latch member to said closure; a latch pin carried by said body, said latch member having formed therein a slot defining a latching surface for engaging said latch pin and moving said closure member and bod toward each other during movement of said latch member toward a latched position and including a depressed portion for receiving said latch pin in said latched position, said latch member having also formed therein a notch defining a locking surface disposed substantially at right angles to said latching surface; a spring-pressed lock member mounted on said body in a position to enter said notch in said latched position of said latch member; a lock operator carried by said latch member in a position to engage said lock member in said latched position of said latch member; and means mounting said lock operator for movement in a direction to move said lock member out of said notch.

2. In a pressure vessel including a body and a separate closure member, a closure lock comprising a latch member; pivot means hingedly securing said latch member to said closure; a latch pin carried by said body, said latch member having formed therein a slot defining a latching surface for engaging said latch pin and moving said closure member and body toward each other during movement of said latch member toward a latched position and including a depressed portion for receiving said latch pin in said latched position, said latch member having also formed therein a notch defining a locking surface disposed substantially at right angles to said latching surface; a spring-pressed lock member mounted on said body in a position to enter said notch in said latched position of said latch member; a lock operator carried by said latch member in a position to engage said lock member in said latched position of said latch member; and means mounting said lock operator for movement in a direction to move said lock member out of said notch toward a released position, said latch member having formed thereon an inclined surface adjacent to said notch for engaging and moving said lock member to said released position as said latch member is moved toward said latched position.

3. In a pressure vessel including a body and a separate closure member, a closure lock comprising: a latch member; pivot means hingedly securing said latch member to said closure cover; a latch pin carried by said body member, said latch member having formed therein a slot defining a latching surface for engaging said latch pin and moving said closure cover and body toward each other during movement of said latch member toward a latched position and including a depressed portion for receiving said latch pin in a latched position, said latch member also having formed therein a notch defining a locking surface disposed substantially at right angles to said latching surface; a spring pressed lock member mounted on said body in a position to enter said notch in said latched position of said latch member; a lock operator carried by said latch member in a position to engage said lock member in said latched position of said latch member; and means mounting said lock operator for movement in a direction to move said lock member out of said notch.

ARTHUR H. KURILQFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 385,668 Henninger July 3, 1888 711,696 Cook Oct. 21, 1902 1,160,758 Reinke Nov. 16, 1915 1,226,597 Re May 15, 1917 1,559,594 Wentorf et al Nov. 3, 1925 1,569,187 Jewell Jan. 12, 1926 1,641,681 Kircher Sept. 6, 1927 2,051,100 Nelson Aug. 18, 1936 2,107,704 Kronquest Feb. 8, 1938 2,209,693 Hammell July 30, 1940 2,354,927 Propernick Aug. 1, 1944 2,376,593 Hellen May 22, 1945 2,389,118 Buehner Nov. 20, 1945 

